ONE AYAT A DAY
يَسْـَٔلُوْنَكَ مَاذَا يُنْفِقُوْنَ ۗ قُلْ مَآ اَنْفَقْتُمْ مِّنْ خَيْرٍ فَلِلْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالْاَقْرَبِيْنَ وَالْيَتٰمٰى وَالْمَسٰكِيْنِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيْلِ ۗ وَمَا تَفْعَلُوْا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ بِهٖ عَلِيْمٌ
Yas'alūnaka māżā yunfiqūn(a), qul mā anfaqtum min khairin falil-wālidaini wal-aqrabīna wal-yatāmā wal-masākīni wabnis-sabīl(i), wa mā taf‘alū min khairin fa innallāha bihī ‘alīm(un).
They ask you, [O Muḥammad], what they should spend. Say, "Whatever you spend of good is [to be] for parents and relatives and orphans and the needy and the traveler. And whatever you do of good - indeed, Allāh is Knowing of it."
Who deserves the Nafaqah (Spending or Charity)Muqatil bin Hayyan said that this Ayah was revealed about the voluntary charity. The Ayah means, `They ask you (O Muhammad ) how they should spend,' as Ibn `Abbas and Mujahid have stated. So, Allah explained it for them, saying: قُلْ مَآ أَنفَقْتُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ فَلِلْوَلِدَيْنِ وَالاٌّقْرَبِينَ وَالْيَتَـمَى وَالْمَسَـكِينَ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ(Say: "Whatever you spend of good must be for parents and kindred and orphans and Al-Masakin and the wayfarer,") meaning, spend it on these categories or areas. Similarly, a Hadith states (that those who deserve one's generosity the most, are): «أُمَّكَ وَأَبَاكَ وَأُخْتَكَ وَأَخَاكَ ثُمَّ أَدْنَاكَ أَدْنَاك»(Your mother, father, sister, brother, the closest and then the farthest (relatives).) Maymun bin Mihran once recited this Ayah (2:215) and commented, "These are the areas of spending. Allah did not mention among them the drums, pipe, wooden pictures, or the curtains that cover the walls." Next, Allah said: وَمَا تَفْعَلُواْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ(...and whatever you do of good deeds, truly, Allah knows it well.) meaning, whatever you perform of good works, Allah knows them and He will reward you for them in the best manner, no one will be dealt with unjustly, even the weight of an atom.